The Kasey Diaries: Year One
by Rowan Mortem
Summary: Kasey Dawson dreams about going to Hogwarts and having wild adventures there with her twin sister, Morgan. However, not everything goes to plan. She engages in a war with Slytherin house thanks to her big mouth. Now she must figure out how to survive their wrath and pass Potions. With all this going on, it's hard to remember that the famous Harry Potter is in her same year.
1. The Letter

The Letter

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Hello,_

 _Greetings New Life Form,_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Sorry about the awkward introduction. I was never good at first impressions. Granted, you are a leather bound book and I shouldn't worry about such opinions but what can I say? I'm the one who refuses to believe that fruits and vegetables can be served in the same dish. Guess that makes me a freak._

 _C'mon…you know you were thinking it._

 _Besides, you were in the clearance isle so I don't think you have much to say about my life choices._

 _On to the point, my mum thought it would be a good idea to write my daily thoughts to a non-existent pen-pal. Maybe if I thought of a name for you this wouldn't be so awkward?_

 _What do you think of Delilah?_

 _Wait, do you even have a gender?_

 _No, it makes it worse._

 _Diary will have to do._

 _My mum threatened to lock the ice cream away if I didn't start writing. She knows my every weakness. My perfect twin sister, Morgan, already has a few pages filled out of how much she loves school and how much she loves to patronize me._

 _I'm homeschooled, you see. My mum taught my sister and me everything we know. The boring stuff anyway. History. Arithmetic. English._

 _This year is going to be different though. Morgan and I are going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

 _Oops, I should've told you. See? I'm always this awkward._

 _I'm a witch. My mum and sister are witches too. My dad is technically a wizard since he's a boy. My mum thought it best to homeschool Morgan and me since it was easier to control our magic inside of house instead of a Muggle classroom._

 _But she never taught us magic because it's illegal for witches and wizards to use magic under the age of seventeen._

 _What's Hogwarts you ask?_

 _Hogwarts is only the greatest school to ever come to be. It's the place where I am allowed to use magic freely. They will teach me how to use my magic, of course. More than that, it's where witches and wizards go to learn their place in the world. Whether or not they'll be important, you know._

 _It all starts with the house you're sorted in. Gryffindor is where the bravest wizards came to be. I know that's where I'll be sorted. Besides the fact that the color would look amazing with my blonde hair, my sister nags at me that "my foolhardy tactics only lacks the intelligence of an organized plan." To that I argue: my plan is simply to improvise. Sometimes it's the best way to get the message across._

 _However, Morgan and I haven't received our letters to Hogwarts yet. They are sure to arrive soon since school starts in a matter of weeks._

 _So I guess this thing isn't as awkward as I thought it was. It's awkward, but I'm sure I'll get used to it. That's what most people say about me anyway._

 _So…I'll see you later then?_

 _Sincerely,_

 _Kasey Dawson_

Kasey placed her quill on the desk as she closed her diary. It was a beautiful red leather diary that her mother practically had to throw in her face to pay attention to. Since Hogwarts was around the corner, her mother worked tirelessly to make sure that she could offer one last word of wisdom. Her mother insisted that a diary would help with any struggles she would encounter while at school.

Kasey couldn't wait to leave. She loved her family, but sometimes they could be overbearing. Morgan never failed to look over Kasey's shoulder to correct her at every turn. Kasey was wilder at heart than her sister was. However, it bothered Morgan more than it did Kasey. She always suggested "safer" and "logical" paths to take rather than Kasey's way of "winging it."

This was made all the more irritating by their mother's habit to take Morgan's side. On top of being her mother, Paige Dawson was also her teacher. Many times the two roles clashed together so much so that she would quiz Kasey during dinner because of Morgan's insistence that Kasey refused to study.

Most of the time she was right, but that was beside the point.

With Hogwarts around the corner, Kasey could finally enjoy her meals without books in her face.

An owl's screech from outside her window immediately caught Kasey's attention. She leaned over. The owl swooped down toward the kitchen beneath her room. A big grin grew on her face.

She then leaped to her feet and stormed out of her room.

Moments later, she skidded to a stop in the kitchen where her mother filed through the new mail. Her father, Nathan Dawson, stood by with a cup of tea in his hands.

"Good Morning, Kasey," her father greeted.

"Morning!" Kasey ran past her father and halted right in front of her mother.

Her mother barely lifted her head. "Morning, dear."

"Morning," Kasey repeated.

Kasey tapped her feet as her mother continued to flip through the mail.

"Anything interesting?" Kasey pressed.

"Not particularly."

"Are you sure? I'm waiting for a letter, y'know?"

"I know."

"So do you see anything?"

"Depends." Her mother looked directly at Kasey. "Did you write a diary entry?"

Kasey shook her head. "I don't know why you're making me do this. Can't I just keep all my thoughts inside my head like a normal person?"

Her mother slid an envelope away from the pile. "I'll take that as a no."

"No!" Kasey's eyes grew big. "I mean yes! I wrote in my diary this morning. You can see for yourself."

"What are you going on about now?" Morgan's voice drawled from the other end of the room.

Kasey spun to her sister. "Mum is holding our Hogwarts letters hostage."

"I'm asking for a simple writing assignment in return," their mother reasoned.

Morgan stared in between Kasey and their mum. The way she gripped onto her copy of _Alice in Wonderland_ , Kasey could tell Morgan was anxious about her Hogwarts letter too. Kasey threw her a pleading smile.

The twins couldn't be more different. Morgan practically stuck her nose in a book while all Kasey wanted to do was experience what the outdoors had to offer. Kasey loved the risk while Morgan preferred to take precautions with her decisions. It was what drew them apart and brought them together. Despite how many times Morgan irritated her, Kasey relied on her to give her the answers she sought while Morgan came to Kasey to forget her worries.

There was also a striking physical difference between the two of them. Kasey had wild blonde curls and hazel eyes while Morgan had straight fiery red hair and blue eyes. Both girls had a similar thin build, but Morgan was taller than Kasey by an inch. People often forgot that they were fraternal twins because of this.

Kasey always thought of it as a compromise between her parents. Aside from the freckles, Kasey and Morgan looked like at least one of their parents. Nathan Dawson gave Morgan his red hair while Paige gave Kasey her blonde hair. But Morgan got her blue eyes from Paige and Kasey got her hazel eyes from her father. The untamable curls however were passed down from her Dawson lineage according to her father.

In Kasey's opinion, they were a monster of their own.

Although their mother was small in stature, she held a very strong presence in the room. Kasey learned early on that her mother would have the upper hand in all situations—especially in arguments with her father. But Nathan was a tall soft-spoken man. He only argued when it was necessary. Kasey could name the times on one hand she overheard an argument between her parents. Most of the time, they irritated Kasey and Morgan with their displays of affection.

Morgan quickly regained her calm composure. "Kasey was awfully quiet this morning. I'm positive she was writing in her diary."

Kasey let out a sigh of relief. "See? When have I ever lied to you?"

Everyone in the room shot Kasey a dubious look. Her father even looked up from his morning paper.

Kasey only scoffed in response. "That was rhetorical question."

"Good, you've been doing your vocabulary homework too," Morgan quipped.

In response, Kasey stuck her tongue out at her sister. She felt it was appropriate.

Morgan ignored the gesture as she strode to their mother.

"Can we have our letters now?" Morgan requested.

Their mother smiled. "Of course."

She held out both letters in each hand. Kasey and Morgan couldn't swipe them any faster. Kasey practically ripped the seal from the envelope to get to the long anticipated letter.

Since the age her parents told her and sister their great tales of Hogwarts, Kasey had been dreaming of this moment. It was finally the time in her life that she could embrace her magical abilities. It also marked the point of a new journey. She would spend the next seven years at an ancient castle and she couldn't wait.

Kasey opened the letter and took in every word:

 _HOGWARTS SCHOOL_ _of_ _WITCHCRAFT_ _and_ _WIZARDRY_

 _Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

 _(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

 _Dear Ms. Dawson,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

Kasey let out a slight squeal. She took Morgan by the shoulders and leaped up and down in glee.

"We did it!"

Morgan was taken aback. "We didn't really do anything. We were born witches and that's all it took."

Kasey stopped. "C'mon! Show a little bit of enthusiasm for once."

After a moment of hesitation, a big grin appeared on Morgan's face. They then resumed laughing and jumping together. When they finally stopped, Kasey pulled out the second page of the letter.

She faced her mother. "Can we go shopping for our supplies please?"

"I don't know, sweetheart," her mother placed a hand on Kasey's shoulder. "We have chores to do around here and your father has to work at the ministry today."

Kasey's heart sank. "Please?"

"It would better to prepare now rather than later," Morgan defended.

Their mother looked in between the twin girls with a sullen expression. "I'm sorry…"

"Stop torturing the girls, Paige," their father piped up from behind them.

Her expression quickly changed into a smile. "You had to spoil it, didn't you?"

"Spoil what?" Kasey questioned.

Their father appeared beside their mother. "As luck would have it, I have the day off from work today."

"And we could use a day away from the house," their mother added.

Kasey beamed. "I'll get ready now."

Morgan held Kasey back before she could move. "First let's confirm our attendance. The supplies would be useless if we didn't have a spot in school."

"I'll do it," their mother offered. "You girls get ready."

The twins took off in a run back up the stairs.

There had been plenty of times Kasey went to Diagon Alley with her family. However, this time was different. Instead of staring at the Olivander's Wand Shop, she would finally be able to step inside to choose her wand. She was a step closer to her Hogwarts dreams becoming a reality.

Kasey put on a fresh pair of clothes as fast as she could and raced down the stairs. Morgan trailed behind her. Both of them found their father preparing the fireplace in the living room for the Floo powder. Their mother walked in with their cloaks and the bag of Floo powder on hand.

"Put your cloaks on," she urged her daughters.

Kasey and Morgan did as they were told.

Their father moved the last of the wood out of the fireplace. "It's ready to go."

Their mother proceeded to place a small amount of Floo powder in everyone's hands. "Remember, girls, speak clearly or Merlin knows where you'll be."

Kasey heard the lecture about a hundred times. Her mother had a friend who slurred one word and they ended up in the middle of a pub fight on the other side of the country.

"I'll go first!" Kasey paced into the fireplace.

"All right, but don't go anywhere," her mother ordered.

Kasey nodded. She took in a deep breath and uttered, "Diagon Alley!"

Green flames covered her field of vision for a brief moment. In a matter of seconds, Kasey appeared in the fireplace of The Leaky Cauldron. She stepped out to make room for anyone else who came through the Floo Network.

As usual, The Leaky Cauldron was slow but steady in business. Kasey saw various people scattered around the pub from the tables to the bar. She imagined it brought interesting characters into its establishment. Before she could explore the pub, Morgan appeared through the Floo network.

"Mum will be through next," Morgan announced.

Kasey nodded.

Morgan walked to Kasey's side. "About time we got our letters. I was beginning to think Hogwarts didn't want us."

"Hogwarts would be mad to not want you," Kasey said. "However, they are mad for letting me in."

Morgan rolled her eyes. She knew the statement to be true. Their mother came through the Floo Network as promised and their father followed right after.

The Dawsons made their way through pub and to the entrance to Diagon Alley. To any ordinary Muggle, the entrance would only be a brick wall. However when her father tapped his wand on the wall, it split into a doorway into the bustling Diagon Alley.

Diagon Alley was what the name implied. It was a row a shops for wizards separated by a cobblestone road. Wizards crowded there for many of their needs such as ingredients for spells or, as Kasey usually needed, supplies for her latest scheme. Now was an especially busy time since many children were shopping for their school supplies too.

They walked through the doorway and into the crowd. Morgan wasted no time in going down the list. Of course she insisted that they shop for the textbooks first. Kasey was more anxious to get her wand though.

It was near impossible for a witch or wizard to do a spell with just their hands. Only those with years of practice and an immense amount of power could do it. Over the years, Kasey made a few flowers grow from the ground but it wasn't anything noteworthy. With the wand, anything was possible.

Kasey was more than ecstatic to finally leave Flourish and Blotts with their textbooks crossed off the list. The process was sped up with Morgan's knowledge of the store. She practically lived there when they made visits to Diagon Alley.

Kasey pulled out her list. "Look, wands are next. We should go to Ollivander's."

Morgan held up her hand. "Hold on, we should get the heavy stuff out of the way first."

"The wand barely weighs an ounce compared to our books."

Their mother glanced at Morgan with sympathetic expression. "Can't you make an exception once?"

Morgan hesitated.

"It's our wands, Morgan," Kasey said. "Please."

She finally gave in. "All right. Let's go."

"Race ya!" Kasey challenged.

With a few of the books on hand, the twins ran off into the crowd.

Ollivander's was only a few shops away from the bookstore. The challenge was maneuvering through the crowd with textbooks to hold their weight down. As twins and sisters, though, they were accustomed to competitions such as this. While Kasey was hopeless when it came to test scores against Morgan, she had a better chance at a race.

Kasey was neck in neck with her sister until she finally gained a lead on her. Kasey dove for the doorknob, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. The door opened. She tried to stop for a graceful landing but that wasn't in the cards.

She landed face-first on the floor of Ollivander's. This was not how she envisioned receiving her wand.

"Kasey!" Morgan's voice echoed. "Are you all right?"

Kasey lifted her head from the floor and sat up. "Define all right."

Morgan appeared at her side. She examined her face. "No cuts or bruises. You got lucky."

"Funny, I don't feel lucky."

For the second time that day, Morgan scoffed. "C'mon."

Morgan pulled Kasey to her feet.

"It's fortunate that you weren't harmed."

Both girls looked up to a man with a pointed face and long pale blond hair. Next to him was a young boy with strong similarities to the man except his hair was shorter and slicked back. The situation was all the more embarrassing with an audience.

"Now, what was it that you were running from?" the man asked.

"No one," Kasey answered. "We were racing each other."

"A race?"

"Yes, we're twins. It's kind of inherent."

The man seemed rather unimpressed. "I see. That explains why my only son doesn't partake in racing. Pity it seems."

Kasey felt her heart immediately drop. She knew exactly what that implied, but her silence stemmed from her shock. This was an adult that just made a snarky comment toward two young girls. Had she been braver, Kasey would have replied with: "The real pity lies with your fashion choices. I'd say your son is cursed."

However, Kasey remained silent.

Morgan spoke up. "We're really sorry, Sir. Kasey didn't expect the door to open so soon and it all happened so fast."

Before the man could reply, their mother walked into the scene.

She marched past the man and his son. "There you girls are. Your father went to Gringotts to pull out more money for supplies."

The man's demeanor changed at the sight of their mother. A sly smile appeared on his face. "Paige Avery. What a surprise."

Their mother tensed just as she turned to face the man. "Lucius Malfoy, don't you know I go by Paige Dawson now?"

"Of course. You'll have to excuse me, I hardly see you nowadays."

"Isn't that shame?" Kasey's mother replied with a tight smile. "I see you've met my daughters."

"Yes," Mr. Malfoy glanced at the girls briefly. "They're quite…energetic."

She placed a hand on Kasey's shoulder. "I think you're talking about Kasey. She's definitely the wild one in the family. Morgan is more accustomed to quiet night with a book."

"Quite the unusual pair." Mr. Malfoy pointed to his son. "It's unfortunate Draco doesn't have any siblings."

An uncomfortable silence invaded the room. Their mother seemed to be at a loss. If she had anything to say, she refrained from uttering the words.

Morgan glanced at Draco. "Are you going to Hogwarts too?"

"No, I'm here for the scenery," the words came out of the boy's mouth with a bitter undertone.

When Morgan recoiled, Kasey stepped forward. "Oi! I'm the only one here who gives the witty retorts—especially to my sister."

In a second, her mother pulled Kasey back. "I think it's time we call Ollivander over. We still have a list of supplies to complete."

"Right," Mr. Malfoy said coolly. "Draco and I have similar plans. I'm sure we'll see each other again."

"Of course. It was nice to meet your son. The resemblance is uncanny."

"Likewise."

Just like that, Mr. Malfoy and his son strode out of the wand shop with their noses held high.

Kasey looked up at her mother. "How do you know that man?"

"He was a friend of my family," her mother gave her a weak smile.

Before Kasey could question the encounter further, an aged voice interrupted them. "Hello, Mrs. Dawson!"

Everyone turned to face an old man with messy white hair appear from the isle of wands. Kasey's mother beamed at the man.

"Mr. Ollivander," she greeted. "It's good to see you."

"And you." He pointed to the twins. "These must be your daughters."

"Yes. This is Kasey and Morgan."

"I see both you and Nathan in them. How time has passed since you came in for your first wand: an eleven inch aspen wand with a unicorn hair core. Excellent for charmwork."

"Don't remind me. I can't believe it myself."

Mr. Ollivander looked to Morgan. "How about we start with you?"

Morgan nodded. "Okay."

Kasey was slightly disappointed she would have to wait a moment longer for her wand, but she gave this to her sister. It was the least she could do after Malfoy insulted Morgan. They might have been at each other's throats daily, but Kasey would be the first to come to Morgan's defense at any sign of trouble.

Annoying her sister was Kasey's job alone anyway. Why would she have to share the role with anyone else?

Mr. Ollivander disappeared into the isle of wands and came back out with a narrow box. He opened it and handed it to Morgan. "Give this one a wave."

The wand was a light brown with curved swirls carved into it. Morgan took the wand into her hand and flicked it once.

In an instant, a fire ignited on the staircase. Morgan threw the wand onto the front desk.

Mr. Ollivander waved his wand. _"_ _Aguamenti!"_

Water appeared from his wand and put out the fire.

Kasey nudged Morgan. "See? I'm not the only who makes messes."

Morgan threw a glare at her before she faced Mr. Ollivander again.

Mr. Ollivander placed the wand back into the box. "This certainly won't work. I have another one that might though."

Mr. Ollivander moved around the desk and ascended up the stairs of the shop. Morgan shook in anticipation.

"Don't worry, dear," their mother soothed. "I nearly took his eye out on my first try."

Morgan relaxed a little. "Thanks Mum."

The issue with Morgan was that she strove for perfection. Everything she did whether it was school or a house chore, it had to be right. Kasey mocked her endlessly about it, but she could tell that it stressed her out more than anything. Usually their mother knew exactly what to say to ease Morgan's mind about it. Sometimes even Kasey was able to put a smile on her sister's face.

Mr. Ollivander returned with another box. He pulled out the wand. It was a reddish color with roses carved on the handle.

"Try this one," Mr. Ollivander gave her an encouraging smile.

With caution, Morgan took the wand. She gave it a gentle wave.

This time the quill on Mr. Ollivander's desk floated high in the air. A grin appeared on Morgan's face.

"Very good," Mr. Ollivander praised. "This wand is an eleven inch cherry wood with a unicorn tail core. Proceed with caution though. This wood produces great power to the wizard who wields it. It should do nicely for you." He faced Kasey. "Now you."

He went up the stairs again. Kasey could barely contain herself. The time was almost here. Meanwhile, her mother looked over at Morgan's wand.

"It's beautiful," she complimented.

Morgan nodded. "I'm glad it was this one that worked."

The design was very much Morgan's style. The reddish color reflected her flaming red hair while the roses were as elegant as Morgan aspired to be.

Mr. Ollivander returned with two boxes this time. "Better to be prepared this time."

He opened the first box and held it out to Kasey. The wand was a darker color wood with a rugged handle.

Kasey couldn't take it from him any faster.

Mr. Ollivander chuckled. "Very eager, I see. Just like your father was."

Kasey had a hard time imagining her father to be as spunky as she liked to describe herself. Her father was a very calm and collected man. When she pictured Nathan Dawson in her mind, she envisioned a man with a cup of tea and the newest edition _The_ _Daily Prophet_.

It's possible that things might have been different when her father went to buy his first wand. He was a Muggle-born after all. Everything in the wizarding world was brand new for him compared to how Kasey and Morgan were raised with having knowledge about both worlds.

Kasey shook her head of the thoughts. The wand was important right now. She took in a deep breath and pointed at the wall of wands behind Ollivander.

Kasey gave a cautious wave.

In an instant, the boxes of wands flew directly at them. Her mother pulled both Kasey and Morgan behind the desk as the boxes darted across them. Mr. Ollivander immediately waved his wand. The murderous boxes scattered around them.

Kasey jumped back to her feet and carefully placed the wand on the desk. "I'll take that as a no."

"Definitely not a good match," Mr. Ollivander agreed. He opened the second box. "Maybe you'll have better luck with this one."

This wand was a lighter wood with deep grooves and a crooked shape. Admittedly, Kasey was a little bit intimidated now. Other than the painfully obvious explosion, something about the last wand didn't feel right. She couldn't exactly explain the feeling or why it didn't feel right. It simply didn't want to work for her.

She hoped for better results with this one. Kasey took the wand from him. This time she stepped away from everyone. She pointed the wand at a plant by the door and gave it a short wave. After a short moment, the plant started to grow.

A smile appeared on Kasey's face. _Maybe this isn't as bad as I thought_.

Then the bad feeling returned. As soon as it started to grow, the plant inflated and exploded. Its guts splattered all over Kasey.

She spun around back to everyone. Morgan clearly held in a laugh at the sight.

"It's in my hair, isn't it?" Kasey groaned. She was not looking forward to getting the plant bits out of her jungle of hair.

Mr. Ollivander gently took the wand from her. "I think I know exactly what you'll need."

Despite the destruction Kasey alone caused, Mr. Ollivander seemed to prance away in excitement.

"I have to say the explosions are fitting," Morgan remarked.

Kasey crossed her arms. "You're not wrong."

Mr. Ollivander returned with another box. "Don't be discouraged. The wand chooses the wizard and I have a good feeling about this one."

"The wands seem to be picky today," Kasey stared at the box Mr. Ollivander held.

This process was a lot harder than she thought it was.

"I promise. You will have your wand."

Mr. Ollivander opened the box. This time it was a mahogany color wood with a carved crescent moon on the handle.

Kasey took in another deep breath. _Here goes nothing_.

She wrapped her hand around the handle. This time, she felt a spark. It felt…right. She didn't even have to wave it.

Sparks flew out from the wand. A huge grin appeared on her face.

Mr. Ollivander reflected her expression. "Twelve inches. Rosewood with dragon heartstring. Equipped to heal others and give great power. This wand was waiting for a daring witch such as yourself."

The notion that her wand chose her sounded mad at first sight, but it was hard to argue with how she felt. It was as if there was a bond between her and her source of magic.

 _Maybe a name for this wand is in order._ _Selene, perhaps._

She shook her head. First her diary and now her wand. Kasey really needed to make more friends.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Ollivander," her mother said. "I never had a doubt you would have the perfect wands for my daughters."

"You're too kind, Mrs. Dawson," Mr. Ollivander waved it off. "Let me wrap those wands up for you."

Kasey's heart was racing now. She was only a few steps away from being a student a Hogwarts now.

However, something else occupied her mind: the Malfoys.

Her mother acted so strangely in their presence. Kasey always saw her mother as a confident woman. In her mind, nothing could shake her mother down. To see her freeze confused Kasey to no end. But these thoughts had to be put to rest until they arrived home. She could ask her mother then.

The day went on a little while longer as the Dawsons shopped for more school supplies. Kasey couldn't believe all of the things she needed. The cauldron alone would add ten pounds to her suitcase. It would be all worth it though. She was going to the greatest wizarding school of all time and that was reward enough.

They finally arrived home just before dinner. Each of them was exhausted from their day of shopping.

Kasey's mum was practically dragging her feet. "I'm not cooking tonight. There are leftovers in the fridge from last night we can heat up on the stove."

Kasey's father placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "I'll get started on that, dear."

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Nate."

Her father returned the smile as he slipped into the kitchen. This was her chance. Kasey had to at least try. Morgan was still in the room, but privacy wasn't the top concern for Kasey.

"Mum," Kasey called out.

She turned around. "Yes?"

"How does Mr. Malfoy know you?" she repeated from earlier.

Morgan stopped on her tracks. Their mother's smile weakened.

"I told you. He was a friend of my family's."

"But who are they?" Kasey pressed. "Why did you panic?"

"I didn't panic."

"But you froze."

Her mother kneeled down to face Kasey and Morgan. "There's a history we have that will take far too long to explain so I'll keep it simple. The Malfoys are a prejudice family. They think their blood purity is above everything else. If there's one piece of advice I have for you girls it's to stay clear of Draco Malfoy. Merlin knows what his father tells him about us—about me."

Kasey didn't know what to say about that. Her mother's tone sounded more defeated than Kasey ever heard it before. There was more to the story, Kasey knew that much. But she had a feeling she wouldn't hear it that night.

Her mother rose back to her feet. "I should go help your father. We'll let you know when dinner is ready."

She disappeared from the room before either of the twins could respond.

Kasey turned to Morgan. "Why would the Malfoys talk about mum?"

"Why wouldn't they?" Morgan challenged. "Mum came from a Pure-Blood family, remember? The Averys ran in the same circle as the Malfoys. It's juicy gossip to talk about a Pure-Blood witch marrying a Muggle-born."

Kasey had a habit of forgetting her mother was once part of the "esteemed" Pure-Blood society. Unlike them, her mother treated everyone with respect regardless their blood purity. Kasey and Morgan even grew up in a Muggle neighborhood outside of London. They even made constant visits to their Muggle family members on their father's side. Their mother only judged people on character rather than status of birth.

Still, Kasey barely heard a word about her mother's upbringing.

"Why do you think mum doesn't talk about her family much? We know loads about dad's," Kasey questioned.

Morgan's face turned grim. "Dad's family didn't conspire with You-Know-Who. I heard the Malfoys did during the war."

Kasey's face paled. "How do you know that?"

"I've read old copies of _The Daily Prophet_ at the library. Countless Pure-Blood families confessed or were caught to dealings with You-Know-Who. Mum's family included. I couldn't even imagine growing up with a family like that."

Kasey was told as little as possible about You-Know-Who, but from what she heard from her parents he was ruthless. He murdered hundreds in the name of blood purity. Even years after his death, wizards were terrified to call him by his true name: Lord Voldemort. To imagine her mother caught on the wrong side of the war was horrid to say the least.

"Me neither," Kasey agreed. "But enough of that. We have our wands and our supplies. Now all we have to do is wait for the train."

Morgan beamed. "You know that's going to be the hardest part, right?"

"Yes! Is there a spell to speed up time?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"You read enough. I'm sure you'll find one."

Morgan laughed. "You speak as if I'm going tell you."

"You have to. It's in our sister contract," Kasey argued.

"What contract?"

"The one I comprised during the five minutes you weren't in my life. I knew I couldn't trust you from the start."

Morgan shook her head. "You're bonkers, Kasey."

"And it took you this long to see it?"

The girls shared a laugh as they entered the kitchen.

* * *

Thanks for taking the time to read this! I can't speak for my crazy schedule, but I will try to update as much as I can. Thank you once again.

~ Rowan Mortem


	2. Welcome to Hogwarts

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Today is the day! Today is the day! I cannot write that fast enough. It is the first of September: the day that the Hogwarts Express leaves for school. It's all about to begin. I'm no longer a child waiting by the mailbox each year for her letter counting the days I would be chosen as a student and be sorted into Gryffindor._

 _By the way, I totally didn't do that. You should know I'm smarter than that._

 _Okay, pretend for like five minutes then._

 _Anyway, I'm about to learn about what I can do with my magic. It took a great amount of restraint to leave my wand in its box._

 _By restraint, I mean my mum putting it in a lockbox—under a lock charm. I may or may not have tried to free it. You be the judge of that._

 _Morgan's wand is in there too so I'm not the only untrustworthy witch in the house._

 _It is going to be strange though. Since I can remember, I've been around my family at all times. Sure Morgan is going to be there, but we'll undoubtedly be in different houses. She's destined to read with Ravenclaws while I'm running around the castle with Gryffindors._

 _It's certain that I will be by myself at school. Mum won't remind me to finish my homework and Dad won't be able to give me a cup of tea when I'm upset. Morgan might be around to help when I need it, but she won't be next door anymore._

 _This is all a part of the process though. Change is good._

 _See you when I'm at Hogwarts!_

 _~ Kasey_

Kasey closed the diary and tossed it in her trunk. It was the last thing she needed before she left for King's Cross. She barely slept a wink the night before. Kasey had a good feeling that adventure was in front of her.

"Kasey!" Morgan burst into her room. "Mum and Dad are waiting in the car. The train leaves at eleven."

She quickly dragged her trunk off of the bed. "Coming."

With Morgan's help, Kasey was able to carry her trunk down the stairs without any injuries. The trunk weighed at least a few tons between her supplies for Hogwarts and everyday items she would need. She may have over packed, but that was due to Morgan's urging to be prepared. A part of Kasey wanted Morgan to be the one to have a swollen toe for being as pushy as she was about the issue. However, that didn't happen either.

The two girls managed to get the trunk into the car with their father's help. It was hard to imagine that this would be first year of seven that she would struggle with this.

Kasey glanced back at her home. It was a mid-sized two level home built entirely of brick. The home was surrounded by houses similar to the design in the neighborhood, Hadley Lane. The Dawsons would be the only family packing up the car in the row of houses. The rest of their neighbors were Muggles. Kasey admitted that it was difficult to keep the family's magical secret from friends she made on Hadley Lane, but she would miss them nonetheless. They were her escape from her homeschool life.

This time, Hogwarts would provide her friendships with witches and wizards. They would learn about their magical abilities together. There won't be any secrets.

With that thought in mind, Kasey loaded up in the car with her family.

King's Cross was flooded with people. The Dawsons dodged in between gaps of the crowd to make it to their designated platform: 9 ¾. This was made easier with the carts they were able to swipe from the door of the train station. There was mix of Muggles catching the train to work and families making their way to the Hogwarts Express as well.

Kasey thought victory was upon them when they reached Platform 9, but 9 ¾ was nowhere to be found. She pulled out her ticket.

"Yeah, this definitely says 9 ¾," Kasey thought out loud. "So where is it?"

Her mother pointed to the wall between platforms 9 and 10. "Right there, dear."

"How we supposed to get through there?" Kasey questioned.

"We run right through," Morgan answered with tact.

Kasey was taken aback by the statement. Run through a solid wall? She was aware of the magical world around them, but the plan sounded insane.

"Huh, I never took you for the joking type," Kasey remarked.

"I don't joke. I read."

Their father placed a hand on Morgan's shoulder. "We'll show you."

Morgan and their father readied themselves. With one nod at each other, they raced off to the wall. But there wasn't a crash or disaster to be seen.

Within moments her father and sister dissolved into it as if there wasn't a wall there to begin with.

Kasey felt more at ease with the revelation. She liked the idea of adventure, but slamming herself against a wall was a bit much for her.

She did that enough by accident.

Kasey's mother wrapped her hands on both sides of her shoulders. "Are you ready?"

"More than ever," Kasey replied.

"On three."

Kasey began to rock the cart back and forth.

"One…two…three."

And just like that they sprinted into the wall. Kasey was tempted to close her eyes, but she needed to see the platform at first glance. Not a few moments later, they disappeared into the wall.

Kasey didn't feel a thing. It felt just like running through an empty hallway. She did see the difference though. In front of her was the highly regarded Hogwarts Express. On the wall next to it was a sign that read: Platform 9 ¾. The red train was just as brilliant as she imagined it to be. This was the final step before her time at Hogwarts began.

The smile on Kasey's face couldn't be any bigger.

"Mum! Kasey!" Morgan called.

Morgan and her father were further down the platform where the rest of the crowd was gathered. Kasey and her mother raced to catch up to them.

They were at the middle of the train by the time Kasey and her mother arrived. Morgan could barely contain herself. She tugged on Kasey's arm.

"C'mon!" Morgan urged. "We need to get a compartment before it's all full."

"Can you girls spare a moment to say goodbye to your mother first?" their father reasoned.

Morgan calmed down a bit and went to hug their mum. Kasey joined in.

Their mother kissed both of their foreheads. "Be good, girls. Concentrate on your studies and stay out of trouble. Understand?"

Kasey knew the last statement was meant for her.

"Yes," the twins replied at the same time.

"Good."

There was no mistake that their mother was fighting tears. It would seem their mother would have a hard time adjusting to their absence from home. She kissed them one more time before ending their hug.

The twins went to embrace their father as well.

"Write often," he pleaded. "There's an owlery at Hogwarts you can use to send letters. Your mother and I would be happy to hear from you."

"We will," Morgan promised.

"Study, but have fun. You're a student at Hogwarts only once."

"She'll take the studying part and I'll take the fun part," Kasey quipped. "It works out better that way."

Her father laughed as Morgan rolled her eyes. The twins stepped away from their parents.

Their mother waved at the train. "You girls better go. The compartments will be filled soon."

The twins lifted their trunks from the cart and made their way toward the train. They gave a short wave before they walked up the stairs. Their mother's last goodbyes could be heard as they entered.

Kasey and Morgan didn't have to look for long for an available compartment thanks to Morgan's planning. The compartment had two cushioned seats facing each other with racks to place the trunks on.

The train began to move just as they sat down.

"Right on time," Morgan said with pride. "If only the rest of Hogwarts would be this easy."

Kasey scoffed. "Please, it'll be easy for you. School is in your blood."

"You're smart too, Kasey."

"But I don't read as much as you."

"We can read together," Morgan offered. She held up _Hogwarts, A History_. "I'm sure it'll help."

Kasey crossed her arms. "Is that one of our textbooks?"

"Yes, I figured I would do light reading before we arrived."

"That's light?" Kasey stared at the thick book with wide eyes. "And you call me mad."

"A little preparation never hurt. Besides, this is the first time I'm reading it so don't go crazy."

"Too late."

The compartment door slid open. "There has to be some room on this bloody train."

It was none other than Draco Malfoy accompanied with two larger boys with large gorilla arms. One of the boys was slightly taller than the other with large feet to prove it. The other boy was stockier and had a thicker neck. Kasey had a hard time believing the boys were even close to eleven years old.

Malfoy stopped on his tracks at the sight of the twins. He smirked. "If it isn't the Dawson twins. Fancy running into you again."

"A mistake I won't make next time," Kasey sneered.

Kasey took her mother's words to heart. With her brief encounters with the boy, she could tell that he was no different than the Pure-Bloods her mother warned her about.

Malfoy glared at her. "My father told me about you…and your mother. Disgraced from her family for nothing more than a mudblood."

Anger flashed across Kasey's mind. She heard the term more than she liked. It was a nasty word that she heard uttered about her father by Pure-Bloods like Malfoy. Her mother always described it a term Pure-Bloods used to make them seem superior. On behalf of her father, Kasey couldn't stand the word.

However, it wasn't Kasey who reacted first.

Morgan leaped to her feet and whipped out her wand. "Say that again. I dare you."

Malfoy and his friends laughed.

"Or what?" Malfoy scoffed. "You'll poke me with it?"

Kasey rose to her feet. "Famous last words. Don't underestimate my sister."

His laugh disappeared. "Please. You're a pair of half-bloods that grew up with Muggles. You're no better than a mudblood."

"It's better than being a Pure-Blood bigot," Kasey argued. "At least I don't have to spend hours on my hair."

Malfoy sneered at her. Kasey didn't waver. He didn't scare her as much as he should have. Kasey's anger took over the minute he uttered insults at her family in one breath.

Finally, he spoke. "Crabbe. Goyle. Let's go."

They slammed the compartment door closed on the way out.

Morgan put her wand back in her jacket. "You need to be careful with that mouth of yours."

"I had to say something," Kasey defended. "You know, the boy should write a book: How to Insult Someone in Two Sentences."

"I'm serious, Kasey. Mum told us to stay away from him for a reason."

"He was the one that came into our compartment. Besides, you were the first one who pulled out your wand."

Morgan's face flushed. "It was an accident. I don't even know proper spells since we couldn't practice at home."

"I'm sure Dad would appreciate it either way," Kasey reassured. "Malfoy can talk all he wants, but he can never break a Dawson."

A smile appeared on Morgan's face. "I hope you're right."

"Hey, you called me smart earlier. I have to be right about some things." Kasey jumped onto the seat to reach her trunk. "In the meantime, I should keep my wand on me in case Malfoy retaliates."

With the exception of Malfoy's intrusion, most of the train ride was quiet. Morgan's nose was stuck in her textbook as Kasey sorted through her Chocolate Frog cards. Kasey took no issue in indulging herself at the trolley. She was barely allowed candy at home so now was the time to get her sweets fix. Even Morgan had a few pieces of candy and promised not to tell their mother about it.

Finally, Kasey took out her diary and began writing.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I know I said we would be at Hogwarts when we spoke next, but I could hardly wait. I'm on the Hogwarts Express with Morgan. We'll be at the castle fairly soon and I'm shaking._

 _I'm anxious to see what house I'll be in. I know I've said I'm guaranteed Gryffindor, but I can't speak for the Sorting Hat. I actually don't know where I'll be…and that scares me._

 _Slytherin would be a nightmare. As a half-blood, I think I would be fine. As my mother's daughter, I'm not sure I would survive. With the way Draco Malfoy treats my sister and I already I can tell that the rest of Slytherin house won't be any different. Besides, Slytherin has a bad reputation of dark wizards coming from their house._

 _There's no way I'll get into Ravenclaw. Morgan is reading her textbook right now. I'm sitting here eating chocolate. No, that's definitely not an option. Granted both of my parents came from that house…so take pity on me oh great Sorting Hat and don't put me in Slytherin?_

 _Then there's Hufflepuff. I don't really know what to say about that house. There's nothing bad about it. It's just…nice. That's really the only word for it._

 _I know you're just a book, but please send well wishes to the Sorting Hat. It might win its favor._

 _Bring cookies too. Cookies always help._

 _~ Kasey_

The compartment door slid open again. Kasey placed her hand on her wand and Morgan lifted her head from her book.

Kasey let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't Malfoy. It was a chubby boy with a round face and a girl with bushy brown hair.

The boy sniffled. "Have you seen my toad?"

Kasey shook her head. "No, sorry."

"I'm sure he's around," Morgan reassured.

"I hope so."

The boy hung his head down as he walked away in defeat. Kasey felt empathy for the boy, but she would know if she saw a toad hopping down the hall. The girl turned to leave when she noticed Morgan's book.

She beamed at Morgan. "Have you started reading?"

Morgan's face brightened at the question. "Yes, just now."

"Well, I read all of the course material this summer. I know it by heart."

Kasey could never forget Morgan's expression at the girl's statement. Morgan's smile slowly turned into a frown as if she had been told that Santa Claus didn't exist. It was then that Kasey noticed that the girl already had her Hogwarts robes on.

 _This should be interesting,_ Kasey thought.

The girl continued. "It was quite the shock that I got my letter since no one in my family is magic, but I was nonetheless pleased. I hope my studying will be enough. Hogwarts is the best and I want to live up to the reputation."

The girl spoke so fast Kasey barely caught a word she said. Kasey turned to her sister. Morgan's face was turning as red as her hair.

"It is good to be prepared," Morgan added, her lips tight.

The girl nodded in agreement. "Oh, I forgot—I'm Hermione Granger."

"I'm Morgan Dawson and this is my sister, Kasey."

Despite Morgan's bitter demeanor, Granger still seemed pleased with herself.

"Nice to meet you. I better help Neville find his toad. Hopefully we'll be in the same house together. If not, see you at dinner."

Granger closed the door before either of the girls could respond.

"If we're in the same house together, I'm going to pull my hair out," Morgan griped.

Kasey let out a laugh. "Looks like somebody found their match."

"It's not funny. She was the one acting all high and mighty."

"Yeah, not like anyone I know."

Morgan huffed.

"It's clear you two are very similar," Kasey clarified. "C'mon, you didn't think you would run into other classmates who would match your intelligence?"

"Not like her anyway."

"Reminder: you went to school with me. Think about that for a moment."

Morgan shook her head. "Kasey. I told you—"

"Think about it. Did I ever make you feel so small when it came to our studies?"

"You're smart too."

"That doesn't matter. I'd rather play Quidditch than write an essay about World War I from the Muggles' perspective."

"I rather liked that essay."

Kasey rolled her eyes. "Do you see my point, twin? Hogwarts is going to be different from home. I won't be your only classmate."

Morgan's face turned glum. "And we won't be together—at least not all the time."

Kasey let out a fake gasp. "Are we finally admitting that I'm not Ravenclaw material?"

Morgan smiled. "You'll make a fine Gryffindor."

Kasey, however, was on a roll. She refused to let the act go despite her sister's praise. "But how will we tell mother and father? We have a family legacy, you know."

"Slytherin's also an option for you."

She mocked disappointment. "I was kidding. You didn't have to be rude."

"You'll fit right in with Gryffindor."

"And you're a natural Ravenclaw."

They each stuck their tongues out at each other before they grinned. Kasey took a mental picture of this moment. It was one of the few they would have when it was the Dawson twins and no one else.

Morgan glanced out at the window. The sun was setting on the horizon.

"We should get dressed in our robes," Morgan advised. "We'll be there any minute."

Kasey followed Morgan as they reached into the trunks.

A thought occurred to Kasey as she stared at her uniform. "Huh. You know what I'm surprised about?"

"What?"

"That you weren't the one who came dressed in her robes at King's Cross."

Morgan glared at Kasey briefly before returning her attention to her uniform. Kasey took pleasure in the jest toward her sister. After they left the train, moments like this would be few and far in between. As the oldest by five minutes, she had the obligation to make her little sister felt a little annoyed.

The train came to a stop just as the twins finished dressing into their uniforms. To finally have the Hogwarts robe on made Kasey's heart beat with anticipation. The Gryffindor tie would make it even better, but the neutral Hogwarts tie would have to do. Nothing was for certain until the Sorting Hat proclaimed her house.

The twins gathered their wands and adjusted their robes. Kasey was the first to race to the compartment door. There was no worry for her luggage since it would be taken to their respective houses once the feast ended.

Kasey only took one step out of the compartment when she felt a body crash into hers. Then she heard a _splat!_

Kasey turned to face a square-faced girl with wavy brunette hair and light green eyes. The girl held an empty cup in her hand. Its pumpkin juice contents, however, were on her Hogwarts uniform.

The girl let out a small gasp. "No! Not now."

Another girl with short brown hair and a face resembling a pug appeared next to her friend. "Don't worry. We'll go back to the compartment and you can change into a spare one you have."

The pug-faced girl then snared at Kasey. "Watch where you're going blood-traitor spawn."

Kasey was dumbfounded by the statement. "I'm sorry?"

"Kasey Dawson, right?"

"How—"

"Draco told me. He was very livid about you."

Kasey's blood broiled. "I don't care what he has to say about me."

"Doesn't matter. You better keep your big mouth shut or I'll make you regret it." The girl took the cup from her friend and looked inside. "Good, there's some left."

Kasey barely closed her eyes before a wave of pumpkin juice hit her face. She used the sleeve of her robe to rub the drink from her eyelids. She could hear the cackle from the group of girls in front of her. Her eyes blinked open to see three more girls join the group: a heavy-set girl with black hair, a small girl with auburn hair, and thin girl with pale blonde hair.

Morgan emerged from the compartment. Her eyes went wide at the sight of Kasey. "What in Merlin happened here? Who are you?"

"Pansy Parkinson, pleased to make your acquaintance," the pug-faced girl gave a sickly sweet smile to Kasey. "Stay out of our way and maybe your mother's reputation won't destroy yours."

The girls walked the other direction. Morgan immediately pulled out a handkerchief from her trunk and gave it to Kasey.

"Parkinson," Morgan spat out the name. "Another nasty Pure-Blood family."

Kasey wiped as much of the pumpkin juice as she could off of her face and her shirt. Some got in her hair, but she knew the battle was lost when it came to her curls.

"Can we agree that all Pure-Blood families are nasty?" Kasey remarked.

"Maybe only the ones on the Sacred Twenty-Eight List. I imagine the unlisted ones are nice."

"I hope so. I could meet some nice classmates."

Kasey finished with cleaning herself up and walked with Morgan to the platform.

Despite the sticky pumpkin juice in her hair, Kasey still felt a skip in her step as left the train with Morgan. Her Hogwarts dreams were coming true. She wasn't going to let anyone get in the way of that. The Would-Be-Slytherins would have to be dealt with after tonight's feast.

"C'mon, follow me—anymore firs' years?" A rough voice bellowed from the platform. "Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Kasey took a slight step back at the sight. The voice belonged to an extremely large man with a grisly black beard. She almost confused him for a giant. Despite his dark looming shadow, a pleasant smile formed on his face as he looked down at the crowd of students. He then turned around and sauntered toward the dark path ahead of them. Kasey didn't remember if the man mentioned who he was, but she followed him nonetheless.

Their only source of light was the lamp that the large man carried. Kasey could tell they were in the woods somewhere due to the subtle shadows of the trees around them. There were also multiple times Kasey stumbled over a rock. She was glad to have Morgan to grab onto. The twins walked side by side to ensure they didn't get lost in the darkness.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the man called over his shoulder. "Jus' around the bend here."

There was a collective "Ooooh!"

Kasey's mouth dropped. The path opened up to a black lake in front of them. Across the lake was a vast castle perched on top of a high mountain. Its windows glistened with the reflection of the starry sky and its tall towers pierced the night sky. Kasey never imagined that Hogwarts would be this beautiful.

"No more'n four to a boat!"

She noticed the boats in front of them. Kasey rushed with Morgan to a boat. They were soon accompanied by two boys. It was difficult to tell in the dark, but one of the boys was small and lean in stature while the other was tall and thicker.

The lean boy held out a hand to Kasey. "Luke Fleming."

"Kasey Dawson." She shook his hand and pointed to Morgan. "This is my sister, Morgan."

"Nice to meet you both." He nudged his head in the other boy's direction. "The quiet one is my new friend, Aiden Owens."

"We just met on the train," Aiden added.

"It's a budding relationship."

"So far, you two are the nicest classmates we've met," Morgan said.

"I do feel bad for that one boy though," Kasey admitted. "With his lost toad and all."

Aiden nodded. "He came by our compartment too."

The group silenced as all of the boats sailed off at once. Kasey took in the sight of the castle ahead of her. As a child, she was told many stories about her parents' adventures at Hogwarts. They described to her in detail what the castle itself looked like, but it was nowhere near how she expected it. It was better than she could ever imagine it.

The first year students ducked their heads as they approached a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. The boats proceeded to take them into a dark tunnel that descended below the castle until they reached a harbor. Kasey and Morgan followed the other students as they climbed out of the boats.

"Oy, you there!" the large man approached the round faced boy. "Is this your toad?"

The man held out the boy's toad. He gladly took it.

"Trevor!" he cried.

"At least there's a happy ending there," Luke remarked.

The group continued to follow the man up the flight of stone steps until they arrived at a huge oak door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" the man turned to the door.

With his giant fist, he knocked on the door three times. It immediately swung open. A tall dark haired witch dressed in emerald robes stood in the doorway. She had a stern face that Kasey thought only her mother was capable of having.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," the grisly man announced.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here," the woman replied.

She opened the door wide. The entrance hall seemed to be just as tall as the towers Kasey saw earlier. Its large size was also incomparable to anything she had ever seen. The room was lit by the flaming torches on the stone walls and a marble staircase in front of them led to the upper floors.

Professor McGonagall led the students across the stone floor. Kasey could hear the drone of voices from the door next her as they passed. It was unmistakably the Great Hall. The older students must already be inside. Professor McGonagall finally stopped in a small chamber of the hall, away from the rest of the school.

They crowded closely in together as they faced Professor McGonagall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall greeted. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

She gave a hard stare to the crowd. Kasey felt nervous enough to run a hand through her hair as Morgan straightened her skirt.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," Professor McGonagall concluded. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. Panic started to set in. The Sorting process was more complicated than Kasey anticipated.

Kasey leaned over to Morgan. "What did she mean by smarten yourselves?"

"I don't know," she stammered. "Just prepare maybe?"

"Think about what house you want probably," Luke said.

Kasey looked over at her other side. Luke and Aiden stayed close to Kasey after the boat trip apparently. She finally noticed Luke's unkept wavy dark hair and wide brown eyes. Towering over Luke was Aiden who had short auburn combed hair and light blue eyes.

"I know I definitely don't want to be a Slytherin," Luke continued.

"I hear that," Kasey agreed. "Hufflepuff isn't where I want to go either."

"What's wrong with Hufflepuff?" Aiden asked.

"Nothing really. It's just not as…interesting as Gryffindor."

Hufflepuff got as much as a bad reputation as Slytherin. Where Slytherin spawned the dark wizards, Hufflepuff produced the nice wizards. Many spoke of it as a weak house because of the lack of qualifications needed to be in such a house.

Gryffindor had to be the house Kasey would be sorted in. It had to be. She was the most reckless person she knew.

A series of screams interrupted her thoughts. Kasey glanced up to find a large group of ghosts gliding above the students. While it startled Kasey at first, she remembered her parents' recollection of the ghosts that haunted the halls of Hogwarts. Haunted was a loose term though—rather, they lived among the people of Hogwarts.

The ghosts didn't pay any attention to students below. They were too invested in their conversation.

"T-there's ghosts here too?" Aiden's voice shook.

Kasey would think for his tall size that Aiden would be braver, but that didn't seem to be case.

"Yes, they live amongst the walls of Hogwarts," Morgan answered. "It's nothing to worry about. They mostly keep to themselves."

Aiden let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

Luke patted Aiden's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll protect you, big guy."

"Move along now," a sharp voice echoed in the chamber. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall returned. The ghosts each floated through the wall ahead of them.

"Now form a line and follow me."

Kasey stood behind Morgan with Luke and Aiden behind her. They walked back across the way they came and entered through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

The sight was just as captivating as the castle from the outside. Candles floated mid-air over four long tables where the rest of the students sat. At the end of the hall was another long table where the teachers sat. Beyond the floating candles was the starry sky instead of a solid ceiling.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside," Granger's voice carried down the line. "I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History._ "

Morgan noticeably clenched her fist. "I was getting to that chapter."

"Don't fret," Kasey whispered. "You're still the biggest nerd to me."

Morgan only shook her head. Whether it was of disapproval or entertainment, Kasey didn't know.

Professor McGonagall took the students to the front of the hall and turned them to face the student body. She then put a four-legged stool in front of them. A dirty patched-up wizard's hat sat on the stool.

Everyone in the room stood in silence as they stared at the hat. For a moment, Kasey thought the tales of the talking hat were false. Then a rip near the brim opened and it began to sing:

" _Oh you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me._

You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means  
To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The hall roared in applause. Kasey's mouth hung open. She didn't expect a musical performance to come with the ceremony.

Professor McGonagall held out a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put the hat on and sit on the stool to be sorted. Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out from the crowd. She put on the hat and sat down as instructed.

After a moment's pause, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Kasey's hands started to shake. The letter D wasn't too far off and Kasey would go before her sister. She was anxious to see where she fit in at Hogwarts. She knew that Ravenclaw was not meant for her. Kasey's lack of dedication to her studies proved that. She wanted Gryffindor, but there was always that small chance.

Kasey waited as each name was called. Her stomach churned as the crowed around her thinned out.

"Bulstrode, Millicent!" Professor McGonagall called.

It was the heavy-set girl that was Parkinson's friend.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted.

No surprise there. Kasey glanced over at the Slytherin table. The lot collectively seemed to be power-grabbing snobs just from the sneers they had on their face. It couldn't been how their face originally was, but her interactions with Slytherins and her mother's stories said otherwise.

"Crawley, Bethany!"

Kasey looked back at the stool. It was the girl that Kasey bumped into on the train. There was not one spec of pumpkin juice on her robes. Her hair even looked better than before. Kasey was sure Pansy took care of that.

Crawley put the hat on with caution and sat on the stool. She jumped slightly as the hat seemed to be whispering to her.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat announced.

Crawley's eyes grew ten sizes bigger. Kasey watched as Parkinson's jaw dropped. Crawley slowly took the hat off and moved toward the Hufflepuff table.

Kasey had to admit that was a little satisfying.

Her nerves, however, didn't settle. She was at least a couple names away from being sorted. The hat would declare her house and there would be no argument for the next seven years about it. Kasey really hoped that the hat would take pity on her.

"Dawson, Kasey!"

She froze in place. The confidence she had on the train suddenly shattered. It was time.

Morgan gave her a gentle nudge toward the stool. Kasey finally moved toward the hat. She realized how silent the room became when someone was about to be sorted. It was almost deafening to her ears.

She finally got to the hat. Kasey gave it a brave stare and took in a deep breath. She put on the hat and lifted herself up to the stool.

At first, the hat was just as silent as the room.

 _Hello?_ Kasey thought. It was worth a shot.

"Kasey Dawson," a voice whispered in her ear. "A mystery you are."

She gripped the sides of the stool from the fright.

"You're clever, there's no doubt about that. But there's also courage I see. Oh, and I see a reckless streak from you in the name of fun. There's still that part of you I can't piece together…maybe something you haven't uncovered yet."

 _Gryffindor, please,_ she begged.

"Have your mind made up, do you? This is a rather difficult decision, but that house will not be the right fit. You do seem to care about how people look at you and you desire to belong somewhere you don't feel different. Wait…I know exactly where to put you."

Her heart dropped.

"HUFFLEPUFF."

* * *

Plot twist haha! Not really, but thanks for reading. Also thank you to those who followed the story and/or reviewed. There's definitely more to come.

~ Rowan Mortem


	3. Hufflepuff

Hufflepuff

Kasey remained frozen. _Hufflepuff?_

 _Well, it's not Slytherin,_ she tried to reason with herself.

But it wasn't Gryffindor either. She was certain that would be her house. With a small nudge from Professor McGongall, Kasey moved off the stool and removed the hat from her hair. She hardly flashed a smile at Morgan as she walked toward the Hufflepuff table at the edge of the room.

It wasn't until that moment that she realized that she would be in the same house as Crawley. Kasey sat as far away from the girl as possible. She could only imagine the laugh Parkinson would have about this.

"Dawson, Morgan!"

Kasey's attention was now on her sister as she marched up to the sorting hat. With how wrong Kasey was on her sorting, Kasey had no idea where Morgan would go now. Kasey hoped it was anywhere but Slytherin. There was only torment for Morgan there.

Kasey could see Morgan's hands shake as she placed the hat on her head. She sat down and looked directly at Kasey. Kasey held two thumbs up.

Not a moment later the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!"

Morgan let out a sigh of relief and jumped off the stool. Kasey's heart slightly faltered. She was glad Morgan got the house her sister expected, but she felt the situation to be a little unfair. Kasey was clearly a Gryffindor just Morgan was a Ravenclaw. How did the hat think Hufflepuff was the perfect fit?

Kasey could hardly think of a reason why.

A couple other names were called until Professor McGonagall called out Luke's name. He strode up to the hat without a worry and wore it like a crown.

After a little bit of deliberation, the hat called out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Kasey was pleasantly surprised. Luke was one of the few that was kind to her upon arriving at Hogwarts. Luke gallivanted toward Kasey with a grin on his face.

"Nice to see a friendly face," Luke greeted.

"Same here," Kasey remarked.

"Sorry you didn't get into Gryffindor."

She shrugged. "It is what it is."

"If it helps, my family really wanted me in Slytherin. Imagine their surprise."

Before Kasey could respond, Professor McGonagall called another familiar name.

"Granger, Hermione!"

The bushy haired girl walked up to the hat with caution. Kasey was truly curious if Morgan would have to share room with the girl who matched her sister's wits.

It didn't take long for the hat to call: "GRYFFINDOR!"

Kasey wanted to shout in anguish. Hermione Granger should've been placed in Ravenclaw. She had all of the qualifications. The hat seemed to be making these decisions at random that night.

"Another surprising sorting," Luke stated. "That girl wouldn't stop talking about how she read all the textbooks over the summer."

"No kidding," Kasey replied.

Kasey sat on the edge of her seat as the rest of her classmates were called to be sorted. Everyone else seemed to be sorted where they should have been. Even the boy who cried over his missing toad was put into Gryffindor. Neville Longbottom was his name. It was hard for Kasey to swallow that the hat would choose Hufflepuff for her. She thought she was brave and chivalrous.

Not simply loyal.

Malfoy was predictably placed in Slytherin. A certain smirk was sent her way as he walked off. In return, she stuck her tongue out. A few other names were called before Aiden walked up to the stool.

It was hard to miss him among the crowd. Next to Malfoy's cronies, Aiden towered over their classmates. Aiden was still as he sat on the stool with the hat on his head. He closed his eyes.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Aiden let out a breath. He smiled at Kasey and Luke as he walked over to the table.

"Nice to see you lot," Aiden said.

Luke wrapped an arm around both Kasey and Aiden. "Same here. With the exception of Morgan, it's good to have the group together."

Kasey's disappointment slightly lifted at the thought of already having friends within Hufflepuff.

More people were called. More people were sorted. Parkinson was placed in Slytherin. There were another set of twins that were placed in Ravenclaw and Gryffindor ironically. But there was one name that made the room gasp. Even Kasey was taken aback.

"Potter, Harry."

Kasey heard of the tale of the Boy Who Lived. As a baby, he not only survived an attack from Lord Voldemort but he vanquished the dark wizard at the cost of his parents' lives. No one knew how Harry was able to do it, but he was celebrity nonetheless. Being around a muggle community, Kasey and Morgan weren't really exposed to Harry's name. Whenever they traveled to the Wizarding World, it would be spoken but otherwise, Harry Potter was just another name to her. She hardly remembered that Harry would be in her year.

The room collectively held their breath as the scrawny boy with messy black hair placed the hat on his head. He seemed particularly nervous to hear his verdict.

Finally, the hat spoke. "GRYFFINDOR!"

Two Gryffindor's cheered, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

Kasey sunk in her seat once more. Maybe it was her disappointment clouding her ears, but it seemed as if everyone but her was offered a spot in Gryffindor house. Since she first heard the tales of Hogwarts, she was convinced that Gryffindor would be the house for her. Despite the fact that her parents hailed from Ravenclaw, she craved for adventure just as many Gryffindors did. Anywhere else felt foreign to her.

The ceremony went on as planned. The rest of the names were blurred out to Kasey as they became repetitive. After Harry Potter was sorted, there wasn't another Hufflepuff that joined their table. It finally came to an end when Blaise Zambini was sorted into Slytherin.

Professor McGonagall then rolled up her scroll and took the sorting hat away. Kasey took this time to finally gaze at the teachers at the front of the hall. She recognized Hagrid at the edge of the table. He was biggest one in size there. The others were unrecognizable, but two teachers stuck out to her. One of them wore a purple turban and shook like a leaf. Kasey compared him to a small dog during a cold storm: shivering and trapped.

The other teacher was at the center of the table. He was an old man with long silver hair and beard to match. His old age didn't seem to matter since Kasey noticed a youthful twinkle in his eye as he stared out into the crowd of students. It finally dawned on Kasey that this man was none other than Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster at Hogwarts. Morgan shoved enough pictures of the man into Kasey's face for her to know.

Dumbledore rose to his feet with his arms stretched out wide. "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He returned to his seat. Kasey blinked in surprise. She hardly expected that from the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Luke laughed. "Brilliant."

"Is that normal?" Aiden questioned.

"I hope it is."

"No, I was talking about the food."

Kasey gazed down at the table. Not a moment ago, she could see her reflection on the platters. Now it was filled with an assortment of food. It was just hers though. The dishes on all of the tables had food sitting on top of them.

Kasey saw potatoes, roast beef, roast chicken, fries, and pudding. There was more food than she could keep track of. This was the most food she had seen in her life. She immediately took all the food she could fit on her plate.

"Careful not to spill any of that, Dawson."

Kasey's joy was short-lived. She turned around to face Parkinson with her arms crossed.

"What're you doing here?" Kasey demanded. "Aren't Hufflepuffs a bit below you?"

"They are. I came for a friend." Parkinson held out her hand. "Come on, Beth."

Crawley shot up from her seat. "Where are we going?"

"Back to the table where you belong. A Pure-Blood witch has no place among Hufflepuffs."

Kasey scoffed. Parkinson threw a glare. "Something you want to say, Dawson?"

"Just a piece of advice: stick your noses up higher. I don't think you look superior enough."

Parkinson huffed. "Let's go, Beth."

Crawley followed behind Parkinson as they scurried to the Slytherin table.

Luke let out another laugh. "I can't believe you said that."

Kasey shrugged. "She threw pumpkin juice in my face. It was time to return the favor."

"You've got guts. It's time someone finally put Slytherins in their place."

Kasey was surprised by his answer. There was no chastising or hushing her harsh words as she would expect from Morgan or her mother. Only support.

"I would be careful with those words. Slytherins aren't one to forget."

Kasey looked up to see a tall burly boy with bright grey eyes. He sat down across from them.

"I'll believe it once they remember some manners," Luke remarked.

A sad smile appeared on the boy's face. "It's just advice. You don't have to take it. I'm Cedric Diggory, fourth year. Your names?"

"Luke Flemming, Anti-Slytherin Leader."

Kasey held back a laugh. Even Cedric was slightly amused.

Aiden raised his hand. "Aiden Owens."

Luke patted Aiden's shoulder. "My second-in-command."

Aiden cowered slightly. Cedric looked to Kasey.

"Kasey Dawson, team strategist," Kasey stated to the fourth year.

"Impressive titles," Cedric replied with amusement. "If you want to have a laugh then go at it, but don't waste your years at Hogwarts in a war not worth fighting."

"But Slytherins value blood purity over talent," Luke argued. "How is that fair?"

"It isn't. However, we're not in control over that. We do our best to protect our own and grant mercy even when it's impossible."

Kasey was confused by the words. It was almost the equivalent of doing nothing in the faces of Parkinson and Malfoy. Especially when both of them threated Kasey.

Cedric sighed. "You might not understand it now, but you will as you go through Hogwarts." He stood up. "I have to meet a friend in Ravenclaw, but I'll see you three around."

Cedric left before any of them could respond.

"He seemed nice," Aiden said.

"Yeah, he was," Luke agreed. "The perfect fit for this house. Unlike me."

Kasey held up a hand. "Join the club."

"Wish I could say the same," Aiden expression fell. "No other house would take me."

Luke snapped a finger in Aiden's face. "Hey, don't do that. You belong here with Kasey and me. We'll need someone to be the sane one in the group."

Aiden beamed at them. "Thanks."

Kasey's heart skipped a beat. Not even an hour went by and Luke considered Kasey a friend. For her whole life, Morgan was attached to Kasey's hip. The idea of being separated from her sister was daunting, but also freeing.

With someone like Luke and Aiden around, Kasey was allowed the space to be her wild-self.

"So I'm a part of the group now?" Kasey inquired.

"Of course," Luke answered. "We Hufflepuff outcasts have to stick together."

"Who else is going to be our strategist?" Aiden added.

Kasey let out a grin. "I can't think of anyone else."

"Good," Luke said. "You're on the team."

After that, Kasey forgot about her worries of being mis-sorted. She was simply happy to be around people like Luke and Aiden.

The rest of the feast was spent speaking to her new classmates about the upcoming school year. There were quite a few Muggle-Borns who were anxious to finally learn about their magical abilities. From what Kasey could tell, Aiden was particularly interested in potions. Luke, on the other hand, was excited about the spells he could now use with his wand.

Kasey glanced at the Ravenclaw table. Morgan was encapsulated by the conversation she was currently in. With how excited she was, Kasey could tell Morgan was speaking about a new fact she learned. Morgan looked up for a brief moment. She waved with a sympathetic smile on her face.

Kasey waved back. This wasn't home anymore. She probably wouldn't ever learn what Morgan was talking about. It was something that Kasey knew she would have to get used to.

The House Ghosts soon joined the feast. The Fat Friar made his appearance at the Hufflepuff table with a friendly demeanor. Kasey, however, noticed that the Slytherin ghost wasn't so friendly. She peered over at the Slytherin table where the Bloody Baron sat next to Malfoy.

He looked absolutely horrifying. The ghost did too.

The Bloody Baron had a pale completion with blank eyes and wore blood-stained robes. Malfoy was all but thrilled. Even Parkinson started to scoot away from Malfoy. Kasey relished in the slight victory.

The Feast ended as fast as it began. Everyone finished what was on their plates and conversation was all that was left.

Dumbledore rose from his seat. The room silenced.

"Ahem—just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors."

"Emphasis on _should_ ," Kasey hissed.

Luke nodded his head in agreement. Aiden didn't respond as he was busy listening to Dumbledore.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term," Dumbledore continued. "Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that his year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Kasey shook her head. She couldn't believe the words that came out of the headmaster's mouth. She eyed the rest of the room. Most of the students were as shocked and confused as she was. Aiden looked a little frightened. Even Cedric was suspicious.

Then on a turn of a dime, Dumbledore cried out in a happy tune: "And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!"

Dumbledore flicked his wand and a long golden ribbon flew out of it. The ribbon rose high above the tables and twisted itself into words. Everyone joined as the words formed the lyrics to the school's song.

Despite the dark note Dumbledore ended on, everyone seemed happy enough through the song. Kasey and the rest of her first year classmates stumbled on the words while the older students knew exactly what to sing.

The room clapped when the song was over.

"Ah, music," Dumbledore commended. "A magic beyond all we do here. And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Hufflepuff first years were directed to follow the house's prefect. Kasey could barely wave goodbye to Morgan before they were herded away from each other. Crawley slipped into the group before the prefect noticed her absence.

Kasey followed the prefect down the stairs—below the ground. They only went down one flight of stairs though compared to the Slytherins who didn't fall too far behind. It seemed that they had a ways to go. Kasey gazed above her. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were being led a long ways up the stairs.

"Be careful on your way to classes," the Prefect warned. "The staircase likes to change."

On cue, the staircase above them moved to another door on the opposite end of the tower. Kasey and the first years stood in awe.

"Come along," the Prefect called. "The common room isn't far."

Kasey hurried behind the prefect with Luke and Aiden by her side. They only walked a short distance before they stopped in front of a stack of barrels. There was not a door to be found. Only a corridor to the right of the barrels.

Since Kasey was so excited about Hogwarts, she learned a little of what the Gryffindor common room had entailed. It was guarded by a portrait on the wall. One password and the student was granted access. But with the unexpected sorting, Kasey had no idea what was next.

The Prefect cleared her throat. "All right, if you're going to listen to anything I say, listen to this. There's no password to the Hufflepuff dormitory, but you have to remember the rhythm to Helga Hufflepuff and tap it on this barrel."

He pointed to a barrel two from the bottom and middle in the second row.

"If you tap the wrong barrel or use the wrong rhythm, you'll be doused with vinegar."

Kasey gulped. Nothing came to memory of what the other houses did to punish students who didn't remember the password.

"Watch." The Prefect tapped on the barrel to the rhythm of the song.

Kasey listened intently to the song. She didn't want being covered in vinegar to be one of her worries while at school.

The lid of the barrel swung open. The Prefect motioned to the open passageway as he held the lid open. "First years."

Everyone lined up single file as they waited to crawl through the entrance. When it was Kasey's turn, she was careful not to tug on her robe as she climbed up the barrels. Merlin knew she wouldn't hear the last of it from her mother.

Kasey then crawled into the barrel. It was only a moment before she entered the Hufflepuff common room. She rose to her feet and moved away from the entrance.

The first impression Kasey received was how earthly the room appeared. Various plants hung from the ceiling and on the ledges of the circular windows. Although it was dark now, Kasey could tell the room would be illuminated by sunlight. The room itself had a round shape with a low ceiling. Aside from the plants, the room was decorated with copper and yellow hangings. There was even a portrait of Helga Hufflepuff herself just above the round fireplace. The furniture that surrounded the room was overstuffed chairs and sofas upholstered in yellow and black.

Luke and Aiden soon joined Kasey's side. The Prefect was the last one to enter. He pointed to the door on the right.

"Your rooms are through that door. The girls will follow the tunnel on the right and the boys on the left. You'll find your beds at the end of the tunnel. If you have any questions, please ask me or any other member of your house. Goodnight."

Kasey turned to her friends as her classmates began to scatter. "So this is where we part."

"So it would seem," Luke said.

"I will see you boys in class tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," they both replied.

Kasey walked through door as instructed and followed the girls in her year to their room. Kasey found it strange that she would have to consider a basement her home. It was oddly welcoming though. Everyone was silent during their walk down the tunnel. Mostly from exhaustion of the day's events. Kasey had to admit she was about the fall over.

They finally came upon their room. Inside was four-poster beds covered in patchwork quilts. The room was illuminated by warm copper lamps and on the walls were copper bed-warmers. Kasey ran directly to the bed with her trunk at the foot of it. She immediately searched for her pajamas.

"You've got to be kidding me," Crawley's voice rang behind her.

Kasey looked up to see Crawley towering over her. For a brief moment, she forgot Crawley would be sharing a room with her. Kasey stood on her feet.

"Weird, I didn't say anything particularly funny," Kasey scratched her head.

"No," Crawley pointed to Kasey's bed. "Your bed is next to mine."

Kasey glanced to the bed on her right. Crawley's stained robe was on the bed. Kasey inwardly groaned. She looked around the room. The other girls were already settled in their beds.

"Even I couldn't come up with this cruel of a joke," Kasey stated.

Crawley shook her head. "Fine. We'll deal with it. Here are a few ground rules: Don't touch my things. Don't even think about looking at my things. If you cross the boundary of your bedside table—"

"You'll what?" Kasey challenged.

This was the longest she ever heard Crawley speak. She had quite a few things to say without Parkinson in her shadow.

However, Crawley's cowardice was still present. She was taken aback by Kasey's blunt question.

Crawley recollected herself and huffed. "Just don't cross it."

With that Crawley turned away from Kasey and to her bed. Kasey returned her attention back to her trunk.

 _This is going to be an interesting year to say the least._

* * *

Thanks for reading! Sorry for the delay. Life's been a bit busy. I know this is late, but I figured I would post in honor of the 19 years later epilogue. Hopefully you enjoyed the chapter!

\- Rowan Mortem


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